Crean firm as unions set to quit

By Paul Robinson, Gabrielle Costa,

Julie Szego

March 18 2002

Federal Opposition Leader Simon Crean says he will not allow trade unions to stop his push to modernise the Labor Party.

He was speaking after the second Victorian union leader in two days announced his intention to quit the ALP, citing frustration at lack of consultation from the Bracks Government and claiming it is undermining unions.

United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall yesterday said he would follow Trades Hall Council president and Electrical Trades Union secretary Dean Mighell in resigning.

The resignations follow the suspension of regular "round table" discussions between key unions and Premier Steve Bracks since October.

Although the unionists say they have resigned in protest at the Bracks Government, Mr Mighell also described Mr Crean's plans to change the 60-40 rule in order to curb union power in the party as "arrogant" and "an insult".

Mr Crean said: "I wanted to modernise the Australian Labor Party and that meant modernising its relationship with the trade union movement. I'm not going to walk away from that. If people find that difficult and make decisions personally that they can no longer stay in the party, that is up to them."

National ALP president Greg Sword yesterday called for unity in the party and said Labor's goals would be best achieved through cooperation.

Asked whether Mr Mighell's resignation from the party could bring with it "political positives", Mr Sword said: "There are some people who might take that view, but I think that it's important for trade unionists who have talent and ability, and Dean does ... (to) stay part of the Labor Party and to make that contribution. It doesn't make sense to leave the Labor Party and sort of exist on the fringe."

Mr Mighell, who was in Labor's left and has been a long-time antagonist of the Bracks Government, yesterday foreshadowed the appearance of a new political party to represent working people. He said he had helped draft the constitution of a new party that might form a coalition with the Greens.

He said he believed Electrical Trades Union members were ready to cut ties with the ALP and that he would encourage them to do so.

Mr Marshall said his union's branch committee of management had already decided to disaffiliate and would seek approval from members in three to four weeks.

Disaffiliation of the two unions would deprive the ALP of more than $80,000 in annual revenue and further undermine the left's already diminished ability to influence party policy.

A State Government spokeswoman denied the government had failed to meet the needs of workers. But a range of Victorian left-wing unionists - including Trades Hall secretary Leigh Hubbard and Community and Public Sector Union secretary Karen Batt - yesterday expressed dissatisfaction with the government.

Australian Services Union secretary Martin Foley said his union would remain with the ALP, but he understood the anger. "I think it's fair to say that there is a general disgruntlement about the Bracks Government from within the union movement. It reflects the long-term disintegration of Labor's base," Mr Foley said.

The Age